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ALDERVILLE -- This year's annual Alderville First Nation Pow Wow will feature more "open style" dancing and more chances for public participation in the celebration which takes place this weekend, says a long-time member of the local Smoke Trail Singers.

There will also be more impromptu drumming, Bruce Smoke said during an interview about the 17th annual event.

Taking place at 5787 Roseneath Landing, an open camping area not far from Rice Lake near Roseneath, the two-day celebration kicks off around noon Saturday. In addition to open and traditional dancing, singing and drumming celebrating Anishinabeg culture and heritage, there will be vendor booths with a wide range of crafts, plus food booths with some regular fare plus native-style dishes including wild rice pudding and wild game meat, he said.

During the day dancers and drummers will try to "get involvement with the crowd," Smoke p>A dinner-time feast is scheduled for the Alderville Community Centre on Saturday evening followed by local entertainment for the evening. There will also be an open mic.

Sunday's Grand Entry, or parade, will start promptly at 12 noon and involve all of the participating dancing and singing groups, and dignitaries, a formal procession opening the second day, Smoke said.

The Alderville First Nation's Pow Wow will be emceed by Aaron Benson. The invited Elder is Pelee Mixemong with head male Thunder Jack and head female Lynn Smoke. The host drumming group is North Shore Ogitchitaa, from the Sudbury area, guest drummers are the local Smoke Trail Singers and invited drums, the local Sugar Island drummers and singers, according to a poster advertising the pow wow.